Virginia’s Season Comes to a Close in Omaha

OMAHA, Neb.  – Virginia (46-17) suffered its second loss of the NCAA Tournament and was eliminated from the 2024 Men’s College World Series falling to Florida State (48-16) by a score of 7-3 on Sunday afternoon (June 16) at Charles Schwab Field. 

The Cavaliers out-hit the Seminoles 10-7 in the contest and seven of the nine UVA starters recorded a hit. Virginia dropped back-to-back games for only the second time this season and the first time since falling in the first two games at Miami on March 8 & 9. 

Anthony Stephan led the Cavalier offense after going 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI. Henry Godbout (2-for-4), and Casey Saucke (2-for-5) each put forth multi-hit efforts. 

Florida State never trailed and broke the game open with four, two-out runs in the fifth inning. Jaime Ferrer homered in back-to-back plate appearances and drove in a game-high four runs. Ferrer had three home runs in two MCWS games and leads all players in the 2024 NCAA Tournament with 15 RBI. 

HOW IT HAPPENED  

• Virginia starting pitcher Jay Woolfolk retired the first seven batters in order before surrendering a single to Drew Faurot who eventually came around to score the game’s first run on a bases loaded walk issued to James Tibbs III.
• Making his first start in centerfield since May 10, Harrison Didawick made a highlight reel catch in centerfield to end the second inning. The grab robbed extra bases from FSU’s Daniel Cantu.

• Stephan made his 2024 NCAA postseason debut in left, added to the superb defensive outfield day when he made an acrobatic grab to take a hit away from Alex Lodise.

• FSU’s Jamie Ferrer led off the fourth inning with a solo homer, his 21st of the season, to make the game 2-0. Cavalier righthander Joe Savino induced an inning-ending double play to end the frame.
• The Seminoles scored four, two-out runs in the fifth, three coming off the second homer in as many at bats from Ferrer.
• After another FSU homer in the sixth, the Cavaliers responded with a pair of two-out RBI singles from  Godbout and Saucke to cut the Seminole lead to 7-2
• Virginia plated another run in the eighth on another two-out RBI double off the wall in center field from Stephan who recorded his second hit of the day. 

ADDITIONAL NOTES  

• Virginia fell to 35-4 this season when out-hitting its opponent. 
• It marked the fifth time in program history UVA has lost a MCWS game despite out-hitting its opponent – 6/24/11 vs. South Carolina (11-9); 6/23/14 vs. Vanderbilt (15-6); 6/17/09 vs. Arkansas (16-12); 6/5/09 vs. Ole Miss (11-10)
• Ethan Anderson singled in the top of the seventh and concluded his 2024 season reaching base safely in his final 35 games.
• Recording a single in the first and an RBI single in the seventh, Saucke collected his 26th multi-hit game of the season and his second of the NCAA tournament. 
• Virginia has scored at least two or more runs in all 63 games this season and grew its season total to 581 runs, which ranks second-most in program history, second only to the 582 runs scored in 2023.
• Virginia was 4-for-23 with runners in scoring position in its two MCWS games.
• Virginia left a combined 19 runners on base in two games at the MCWS